Gutter support and method of making same



Oct. 29, 1949. A H N 2,219,874

GUTTER SUPPORT AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Nov. 17, 1939 Patented Oct. 29, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- 2,219,874 Gu'r'ma surroa'r AND METHOD or MAK- ING sAME Max Rachlin, Flushing, N. Y. Application November 1'1, 1939, Serial No. 305,033

16 Claims.

This invention relating as indicated to a gutter support and method of making sameis more particularly directed. to an eaves trough supporting device comprising a circle and a shank. These terms are well known in the art and have the following meanings.

A shank comprises a member having two angular portions, one of which is adapted. to lie upon the roof sheathing the other of which is adapted to extend in a vertical plane so as toreceive -the circle. The circle comprises an arcuate member which is approximately a half circle in which the gutter is adapted to be received. There are many forms of shanks andcircles' and the invention contemplated herein is directed toward a novel form of both the shank and. the circle as well as a novel method of manufacturing the same.

Heretofore roofers have employed shanks and circles formed of material having a channel sec tion. This is generally referred to in the art as channel and will be so called hereinafter. Channel has two rather serious disadvantages, the most important of which is that its cost is relatively high. A second disadvantage is that, the angularly related portions of the shank must extend in planes at right angles to each other which necessitates twisting the channel at a localized point. It is also somewhat diflicult in forming a circle of channel to obtain an accurate bend since one flange of the channel must be compressed while the other flange is expanded.

I propose to eliminate the above difllculties' and to reduce the cost. of gutter supports by forming shanks and circles from material having" 3 a circular cross section such as wire. The cost of wire is less than that of channel so that my novel gutter support represents a saving in cost of materials.

I propose to flatten wire and this in itself imparts strength since something in the nature of a. forging operation takes place. In actual tests it can be shown that a shank and circlemade by flattening wire is far' stronger than similar shanks and circles cut from sheet metal or formed from channel. It will also be seen that in essary' crystallization and cause the the point where it is twisted.

It is therefore an bject of thepres'ent invention to provide a gutter supportfland; method of making same employing wire as a starting mat-1 terial and comprising a shank and a circle;

the formation of the shank it is not nee-- to twist the metal which may occasion shank'to break at" To the accomplishment 'of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims; the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth. in detail one method and one product constituting, however, but one of various applications of the principles of my invention.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the circle attached to the shank and in normal operative view taken from above of of the wire from provided a shank consisting of angularly related portions H and I! which are connected by means of the portion Hi. This shank is formed by cutting a desired length of wire W and'then bending the same into the configuration shown in Figure 4. The portion II is then formed by flattening dies. This portion can be a tapered thickness diminishing from the connecting portion 10 toward the end of such portion- H. I prefer however, to impart a channel shape as shown inv Figures 1 and 2, since this eliminates the necessity of counter sinking perforations l3 and I4. If desirable the channel shape and perforations may be formed in a single step or the perforations can be imparted after formation of the groove H'. The shank is then inserted in another press which imparts the groove l2 and may at the same time perforate such groove as desired so that fastening means may be inserted through theholes l5.

fiFlOm an inspection of Figure 1 it will be seen that the portion ll extends in a plane at ;-ri'ght angl o the sheet upon which the figure I is drawn-an" further that the portion l2 extends in a.-plane rallel to the plane of the drawing.

However, nojtwisting action has taken place since the connectingportion .10 remains in its original-shape, The portions II and I2, due to the pressing operations, have added strength since 1 the metal is worked or forged during such opa In the modification shown in Figure 6 instead 1 to snugly engage the groove I 2' This projection has perforations head I! and the circle large number-of positions as desired by the eration. The portion ll of the to the sheathing R. ofthe roof shank is attached press and flattened whereby'the configuration shown in Figures 1 and 2 is to provide a relatively wide S the inner edge 23 of the tions 22 formed therein. These corrugations maybe formed when the wire W' is flattened, or if desirable, they may be formed subsequentobtained. In order seat for the gutter circle has corruga- 1y. It will be seen that the corrugations provide a seat which is approximately three times as wide as the remaining portion of the .circle l6. In order to interlock the circle with the shank I have provided a projection I 9 adapted of the shank.

through whichafastening bolt I5 is adapted to project. Thebolt I5 is provided with a slotted may'assume any one of a roofer. As a further means of anchoring the circle to the shank I have provided a small profiection 2| on the circle adaptedto engage-the outer vertical edge of the shank l2.

of a single projection I9 I have provided a series of small projections 26 withperforations 21 be tween such projections. The working of the wire by formation of the projections further strengthens the wire instead of weakening the circle which is occasioned by forcing a portion of flat metal out of its plane.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a novel form of shank and circle formed entirely from material having a cross section such as wire. It is well known that channel costs more than wire so that my gutter support represents a saving in base materials.

It will also be observedthat my gutter support is stronger than gutter supports containing the same weight of metal as known in the prior art because a flattening or pressing operation imparts strength. It will also be seen that the circle It can be elevated higher on the vertical leg ll of the shankbecause the metal connecting the two angular portions of the shank is not twisted, as is the case where the shank is formed of channel.

It will also be seen that an advantage is derived from tapering the portion H of the shank since so-called hard shingles will not be broken due to the taper, and so-called soft shingles will not show through due to the taper.

It will also be seen that neither the circle nor theshank is weakened in any way since neither member is twisted. v

The preceding description involves what is believed to be an entirely new methodof making a gutter'support and the shank and circle type. Primarily, this method eliminates the necessity and expense of form'- by driving fasten-' ing means through the perforations I3 and I4 20 therein particularly a support of the upperedge of said it is important to note that in order to'twist flat metal of channel a relatively soft metal must be employed. In the present case, however, wire of any hardness can be used since twisting and consequent crystallization is entirely eliminated.

It is to be understood that I may employ wire to form a circle which is not'entirely flat and it is also to be understood that I may employ wire which initially has shapes other than circular cross section with the exception of course of flat strip material.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the means and the steps herein disclosed, provided those stated by any of the following claims or their equivalent be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A gutter support comprising a circle and a shank, said'shank being formed of flattened wire and said circle being formed of flattened wire and being secured to said shank.

2. In a gutter support comprising a shank and circle; a shank formed from a, section of wire and having two portions extending angularly with respect to each other, one of said portions being channel shaped in cross section.

3. In a gutter support comprising a shank and circle; a shank formed from a section of wire and having two portions extending angularly.

with respect to each other, one of said portions being channel shaped, in cross section, the other portion tapering in thickness toward its end.

shank connecting said portions being substantially round in cross section, one ofsaid portions being channel shaped in cross section.

5-. In a gutter support comprising a shank and circle; a shank formed from a section of wire and having two portions extending angularly with respect to each other, that part of said shank connecting said portions being substantially round in cross section and both of said portions being apertured to receive fastening means, one of said portions being flattened and tapering -in thickness there being interlocking means on said shank and circle.

6.- In a gutter support comprising a shank and circle; a shank formed from a section of wire and having two portions extending angularly with respect to each other, each of said portions having a flattened surface, said surfaces extending in planes at right angles to eachother, said circle being formed from a section of wire and having portions thereof in engagement with one of said flattened surfaces.

from a material of circular cross section and having one end rebent, to form an open hook, there being a notch in the other end.

8. A flattened gutter hanger circle formed from a material of circular cross section and having an inner seat for a gutter, said seat being formed by bending portions of the flattened edge of said circle in opposite directions.

9. A gutter hanger circle, formed from flattened round stock and having an inner seat for a gutter, said seat comprising corrugations in ing provided with means adapted to interlock with means on a shank.

circle, and said circle be- 10. A gutter hanger circle, formed from flattened round stock and having an inner seat for a gutter, said seat comprising corrugations in the upper edge of said circle, and said circle being provided with projections, said projections comprising one major projection adapted to be received in the groove of a channel shaped shank and a minor projection adapted to engage an outer surface of a shank.

11. A gutter hanger circle, formed from flattened round stock and having an inner seat for a gutter, said seat comprising corrugations in the upper edge of said circle and said circle being provided with projections, said projections comprising a series of spaced alined members adapted to be received in the groove in a channel shaped shank and a minor projection adapted to engage an outer surface of a shank.

12. In a method of making a gutter circle, the steps which comprise cutting a desired length of wire, bending said wire into substantially arcuate form, with one end of said wire bent upon itself, to provide a return bend support for the gutter, and than pressing said wire to form a flat circle.

13. In a method of making a gutter circle, the steps which comprise cutting a desired length of wire, with said wire bent into substantially arcuate form, then bending one end of said wire upon itself, to provide a return bend support for the gutter, then pressing said wire to form a flat circle and forming a gutter seat by corrugating one edge of said flat circle.

14. A method of forming a gutter circle which comprises flattening a substantially arcuate piece of metal having a; circular cross section to form a flat circle having an inner and an outer edge and then forming a gutter seat in said inner edge by crimping said inner edge.

15. A method of forming a shank, adapted to be used in an eaves trough supporting device,

which comprises cutting a desired length of wire, then bending said wire so as to impart angularly related portions, then flattening one of said portions and then flattening the other portion in a plane at right angles to the plane of said first named portion and then forming such flattened portions into channel shaped portions.

16. A method of forming a shank, adapted to be used in an eaves trough supporting device, which comprises cutting a desired length of wire, then bending said wire so as to impart angularly related portions, then flattening one of said portions and then flattening the other portion in a plane at right angles to the plane of said first named portion and then forming such flattened portions into channel shaped portions and finally perforating such channel shaped portions.

MAX RACHLIN. 

